Typewriting machine



June 7, 1927. 1,631,223

w. F. ROTHERMUND TYFEWRITING MACHINE Filed Feb. 8, 1921 Patente d June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,631,223 PATENT OFFICE.

"WERNER F. RO'IIIEH-MUND, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERW'OOD TYPEWRITER COMPfiNY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Application filed February 8, 1921. Serial No. 443,347.

This invention relates to portable typewriting machines, and its objectie to facilitate the releasing of the carriage automatically as the cover is being put on the machine, so that the carriage may be moved by the cover to a central position to enable the cover to be placed on a base-board which supports the machine. v

To this end, I provide a lever which normally projects into the path of the cover, said lever being provided with a can't-surface which is engaged by the cover, connections being provided between the lever and the escapement-devices,so that the escapement-rack is disengaged, and the carriage is free to be centered by the cover as the cover is moved into place preparatory to attaching it to the base-board which supports the machine. 7

The invention is in the nature of improvements upon devices disclosed in the application of George lV. Campbell, No. 380,486.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an end elevation, showing a portion of a typewriting machine with my improvement applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a similar view, with the parts in a different position.

Figure 3 is a plan view.

Figure 4 is a front elevation, with the parts in posit-ion just prior to the time the cover engages the cam-lever.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but

with the parts in the position they assume after the cover has been seated in place.

In a portable typewriting machine, it is usual to provide a cover which fits the machine quite snugly, and, in order that this cover may be seated in place, it is generally necessary that the carriage be properly cen tered. Various means have been proposed for centering the carriage, and my present invention is an improvement. on prior de vices, in that it provides means whereby the carriage is automatically disengaged from the escapement-devices, so that (if necessary) the cover may be moved laterally to properly align it with the base, the carriage at that time being free to be moved in either direction, as required.

In the drawings, I have shown a carrying case consisting of the usual base 1 and a cover having sides 2, and I have shown only those portions of the typewriter (Underwood Portable) which are essential to an understanding of my invention. Said portions travels on a rail 7 supported on a main frame 7* and also carriesan escapement-rack 7, which engages an escapement-pinion 8, connected with an escapement-wheel 9, form ing part of the usual escap'ement mechanism in machines of this character., The escapem ent-rack 7 may be disengaged from the pinion 8 by the usual'k'ey-release lever 7.

'The escapement-rack-is in the form of a bail, having side arms 10 pivoted at 11 on the carriage frame 3. A pivot 12 at the left-hand end of the rack 7 projects through a slot in the lower end of a link 13 connected at its other end we slide 1 1 having an inclined slot 15 engagingapin 16 mounted in the frame of the typewriter-carriage. The slot in the link 13 permits lost motion of the pivot 12with reference to the link 13, so as not to interfere with the disengagement of the rack bymeans of the release-lever 7. The slide 14 is pivoted at its left-hand end to an actuating element 17, a bell-crank-lever one of whose arms is formed into a cam 18, adapted to be engaged by the edge of the left side of the cover when the cover is partly over the machine, such engagement resulting in the rocking of the bell-crank about its pivot, which, in turn, moves the slide 14, thereby lifting the link 13 and rocking the rack to the position shown in Figure 2, wherein such rack is out of engagement with the pinion 8, and the carriage is free to move in either direction. It will thus be seen that thecam member 18, carried by the carriage, may be engaged by the cover in any position of the carriage, and said carriage may then be moved to position it by means of the cover so that the cover may b'c'properly seated on the, base. During the time the cover is on the base-board, the carriage is held free of the cscapement-devices,-so that there is no strain on these parts as the machine is moved about. i I 1 I It will be understood from the foregoing that the cam member 18 and lever 17 are normally maintained in their outward positions, as seen in Figure 4, .by the weight of: the'escapement-rack 7 and its side arms 10,

together with that of the link 13. A spring (not shown) may act on the rack 7. As also appears clearly from Figure l, when the cam member 18 is in its outermost position, the outer end of the cam member is spaced from the outer surface of the knob 6 at the opposite end of the carriage 3 by a distance greater than the length of the cover 2. The carriage is hence over-length for the capacity of the cover. With this construction, the placing of the cover 2 over the carriage 3, with one end abutting against the fingerwheel or k110i) (5, necessarily swings the lever 17 inwardly toward the carriage, or eolla'pses the carriage, and thereby disengages the escapement-rack 7 from the pinion 8. The inward or collapsing movement of the lever 17 eiiected whi e the opposite end of the carriage is confined and restrained by the end of the cover at that point, and may be limited either by engagement of the end of the slot 15 in the slide let with the pin 16, shown in Figure 2, in which case the pin 16 serves as a stop for determining the limit of inward,movement of the lever 17, or by engagement of a heel 19 on the lever 17 with the adjacent end of the carriage, in which latter case the carriage acts as the determining stop. In the illustrated construction, the arrangement of the parts is such (Figures 2 and that the end of the slot in the slide l t and the heel 19 on the lever 17 engage the pin 16 and the end of the carriage 3, respectively, at substantially the same time. The stop or stops for determining the limit of inward movement of the lever 17 toward the carriage are so arranged that, when the lever 17 is in its innermost position, the distance between the outermost point of the cam member 18 and the outer surface of the knob 6 at the opposite end of the carriage is less than the length of the cover 2, in order to enable the cover to be placed over the machine, as seen in Figure 5.

'Prefera'bly, however, and as also appears from Figure 5, the distance between the outer point of the cam member 18 and the outer surface of the knob 6, when the lever 17 is in its innermost position, is but slightly less than the length of the cover 2, so that, in placing the cover on the machine, the carriage may be moved to the left, as seen in Figure 4, by thrust of the cover against the outer surface of the knob 6, or toward the right by thrust of the cover against the cam member 18 with little lost motion between the cover and the carriage 3. The absence of any appreciable amount of lost motion between the cover 2 and the carriage 53in placing the cover over the machine assures that the carriage will begin to move on the machine frame substantially at the inception of any endwise movement of the cover after its edge has been lowered below the cam member 18. This construction avoids jarring of the carriage 3 and the parts carried thereby by impact of the cover 2 on .the carriage, such as would occur if there was any considerable amount of lost motion between the cover-and the carriage.

The cam member 18, by reason of the fact that it is yieidingly urged outwardly from the end of the carriage by the weight of the escapement-racl'z 7, acts to cushion the application of force to the carriage 3 by the cover.

When the lower edge of the left-hand side or wall 2 of the cover engages the cam 18,

fective to release the carriage from the escapement mechanism, so that the carriage may be moved laterally by the cover to locate it in such a position which will enable the cover to be subsequently attached to the base-board.

It will be noted that the carriage has a carriage-feeding release-lever at each end thereof, one lever always manually operable and the other lever operable by hand or by the adjacent side of the cover, when the cover is first adjusted to the carriage prior to the adjustment of the cover and carriage to the base; that the cover is first adjusted to the carriage at any letter-space position where the carriage may be stationed; that the cover and carriage may then be shifted in either direction to align the cover to the base; and that this mode of operation eliminates the usual operation of first cen tering the carriage to the carriageframe before the cover can be adjusted to either the carriage or the base, an operation universally performed prior to this invention.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of tie improvements may be used without others. Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a base, a typewriter-frame mounted thereon, a traveling carriage, eseapeiu-entdevices for the carriage, a cover to lit over said base, said carriage being wer-lene'th for the capacity of said cover, and collapsi ble means mounted on the carriage for disengaging the carriage from the escapementdevices and comprising a horizontally yieldable operating device 7 therefor projecting from the carriage longitudinally thereof, thereby causing the length of the carria Hill and act ing an outer face inclined in a downward s me longitrn' and outward direction in the dinal dircctmn as the length oi le inward Flinn of the y 111 the dir h or the carriage by tile downwind "a; of the ad acent side of the cover it-said inclined i nent ot placing he cover down over the carriage to enclose It, said carriage be o v 7 ca operating device.

2. In a portable typewriting machine, the combination of a base, a typewriter frame mounted on the base, a carriage on the frame, escapement-devices f: the carriage, a coverconstructed to over said base, means mounted on the carriage for disengaging it from the escapeinent-devices, said means comprising a member projecting from one end of the carriage and n'iovable inwardly by the cover toward the carriage to disengage the carriage from the escapementdevices and said member at its outer end being normally spaced from the outermost part at the opposite end of the carriage by a distance greater than the length of the cover, and means for limiting the inward movement of said member, so that the placing of the cover over the machine rel-eases the earriage from the escapement-devices and em; bles it to be moved in either direction on said frame by manipulation of the cover against said member or said part.

3. In a portable typewriting machine, the combination of a base, a typewriter frame mounted on the base, a carriage on the frame, a cover constructed to fit over said base, a platen rotatably mounted on the carriage, a knob on one end of the platen, escapement-devices for the carriage, and means mounted on the carriage for disengaging the carriage from the escapement- I devices, said means comprising a member projecting from the end of the carriage opposite from said knob and movable inwardly by the cover toward the carriage to disengage it from the escapement-devices and said member at its outer end being normally spaced from the outer surface of said knob by a distance greater than the length of the carriage, so that the placing of the c ver over the machine releases the carriage from the escapement-devices and enables the carriage to be moved in one direction on the frame by thrust of the cover against said member and in the opposite direction by thrust of the cover against said knob.

4:. In a portable typewriting machine, the combination of a base, a typewriter frame mounted on the base a carriage on the frame, a cover constructed to fitover said base, a platen rotatably mounted on the car- "riage, a knob onone end of th n'i'ounlcd on the rarriz during-the initial confined its other end by said cover. against yielding during the collapse of said parts carried by it.

late'n, escapement-d'evices' 'for the carr e, means 1-: for disengaging the carriage from the escapeinent-devI s said means comprising a men'iber projecting tron'i the end of the carriage opposite from said knob and movable by the cover inwardly toward the carriage, said member normally extending from the outer surface of the knob by a distance greater than the length of the cover, and a stop on the carriage for limit ing the inward moven'i'ent of said member to a point such that the distance between the outer point of said member and the outer surface of the knob is but slightly less than the length of the cover, so that the placing of the cover over the machine re-- leases the carriage from the escapement-devices and enables it to be centered on the machine frame by manipulation of the cover without jarring of the carriage or the 5. In a portable typewriting machine, the combination of a base, a typewriter frame mounted on the base, a carriage on the frame, escapement-devices for the carriage, acover constructed to fit over said base, a member normally projecting from one end of the carriage and mounted on the carriage for movement toward and from the carriage, a stop for limiting the inward movement of said member, and means for disengaging the carriage from the escapement-devices upon inward movement of said member, said member having an inclined surface for engagement by the edge of the cover to cause the member to be moved inwardly to disengage the carriage from the escapement-devices and said carriage being movable on said frame after disengagement from the escapement-devices by thrust of the carriage against said member.

,6. In a typewriting machine, the combi-' nation of a base, a typewriter-frame mounted thereon, a traveling over-length carriage, escapement-devices for the carriage, a cover to fit down over said base and too narrow to accommodate said carriage, and means mounted on the carriage for releasing the carriage from the escapement-devices and chine and cover, including a carrlage and escapement-devices therefor, said carriage being over-length for the capacity of the cover and including a projecting part at one end engageable and collapsible by one end of the cover, the other end of the carriage being confined by the other end of the cover during the collapsing operation, and connections from said collapsible part 'to effect the freeing of the carriage from the control of its escapement-devices.

8. A combined portable typewriting inachine and carrying case including a carriage and escapement-niechanisin, said case including a base-board to support the machine and a cover to be placed over the niachlne and on the base-board, said carriage being WERNER F. ROTHERMUND. 

